International Signing Day

July 2nd always used to be an exciting day for me, it was basically another amateur draft, minus the bothersome shackles of the predetermined selection order. I’ve sort of lost interest though, the too-good-to-be-true scouting reports and Age-Gate have since turned me off. I’m not going to spend too much time discussing the goings-on (especially since this year’s big prize, Michel Inoa, is already off the market), but luckily Eric at Pending Pinstripes will. He’s got a list of confirmed signings set up that he’ll update as the news trickles in, and also a general discussion thread. Baseball America has an in-depth preview up at their site (subscribers only, sorry), and Saber-Scouting has all sorts of good info available (free!).

Saber Scouting does a great job of explaining the Yanks’ strategy. Some people get caught up in bonus amounts, but in Latin America, it’s easy to be duped by agents hyping unknown quantities.

whozat

Yup. That Salcedo kid from last year? I think he went unsigned after all that hype. Did every team “miss” on him, or was he an object lesson in how you really need to see through the hype on these kids?

Interesting that the Yanks fired their VP of international operations after things fell apart with Inoa back in May, though. I wonder if he got fired for letting the kid break their standing agreement, or if he got fired for coming to said agreement with a kid that others in the organization decided was all hype and no substance?

Nefarious jackson

the last two years they showed the $$ to Montero & DeLeon and so far that are both doing very well for the levels — were we getting caught up by bonus amounts then or by talent?

Not sure how this year will shake out but to say the Yanks did better by spending less money???? The only way this new “strategy” that you’ve been trying to explain will work is if we actually get some players— the PP article sounded like we signed some Steve Kotsay types, not exactly the next Vlad

And where did the 2.7 mil that Inoa was going to get go?????

X factor could be if they can land Yorman R who I believe can’t sign until August

Casper

Actually, a Steve Kotsay type would be really cool. He could play a serviceable CF and then come in to pitch an inning in relief.

Bo

It’s MARK KOTSAY. Not steve

Casper

Thanks for the clarification.

Reggie C.

Looks like Yanks are gonna bring in a haul. Saberscouting has Yeico Calderon at #7 on their July 2nd list of “best” players. Of course, “best” means most known, and since orgs. like NYY and the RS have got developed scouting in Latin America, alot of these signees are gonna be known ONLY to the these squads. Looks like Cash thinks the draft will yield enough projectable pitchers to focus only on positional guys.

What ever happened to the DeLeon promotion to the states that BA had earlier?

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

BA was wrong.

http://mvn.com/milb-yankees Eric

Wow, that’s a rare occurence. I thought they always knew what they were talking about.

Henry Chinaski

Padres really went to town this year… nice to see then spending Yanks Lux Tax $$

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

They just opened up a shiny new $8.5M facility in the Dominican. Already reaping benefits.

Bo

How did they get outbid for Inoa?

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

It happens. Don’t get too worked up about it.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=594331910 Jamal G.

Yanks had an agreement with him for $2.7M but American agent, Adam Katz, came in and began to represent Michael Inoa. Katz set the floor of any deal at $3.5M and the Yanks walked away on principle of being disrespected by having a deal in place then being turned away.

Bo

This really didn’t call for a stand like that. You make the stand with the agent after this. You don’t take it out on the kid especially if you feel he is the best.

Chip

Honestly, Inoa might one day be a good major leaguer but what are the chances? This is even more of a crapshoot than that draft. I’ll be very surprised if Inoa ever even makes a major league start. I had a buddy back in high school who was 6’7″ and threw 93 back as a high-school freshman. Ended up with a full-ride to Nebraska but lost it after two years where he just couldn’t hack it. You never know how these guys will develop

A.D.

I mean some of these Dominican kids make Garrett Cole seem like a sure thing

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Word. It’s far more likely that Inoa will never make it out of A-Ball than becoming a ML starter.

Reggie C.

I agree. Its reported that he’s got clean mechanics. Lets see if that’s still the case if he grows another couple of inches , or when he starts polishing that secondary stuff with American instruction.

One thing i gotta say is how much a crapshoot it is signing international pitchers. Projecting kids from American h.s. is hard enough, and we’re supposed to trust INTERNATIONAL scouting reports?

Bo

Can we not bash Inoa just yet? I know we are all looking for reason to slam the kid because his agent is a jerk but he obviously has oodles of talent.